Engine starting device



Sept. 11, 1956 A. H. WINKLER 2,762,354

ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Sept. 11, 1956 wl LE 2 762354 ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Original Filed Dec.21, 1946 2 Sheets$heec 2 w q w 1 INVENTOR.

w Y wafer/imam? h W l BY N w a 6 Uni EN GENE STARTING DEVICE AlbertWinkler, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, SouthBend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware 6 Claims. (Cl. 123-179) Thepresent invention relates to a control mechanism for internal combustionengines and more particularly to a control mechanism for startinginternal combustion engines used in motor vehicles. This is a divisionof my copending application Serial No. 717,736, filed Decemllaer 21,1946, now Patent No. 2,597,606, issued May 20,

Modern motor vehicles are generally equipped with a fast idlearrangement and an automatic choke to provide an enriched fuel-airmixture for starting and for operating the engine at subnormal enginetemperatures. The fast idle arrangement usually consists of a cam whichforms an abutment for an adjustable stop mechanism on the throttle valvelever of the carburetor and which is connected to and controlled by thechoke valve so that the throttle valve is held at a partially openedposition for fast idling while the engine is cold. As the engine becomeswarmer, the thermostat controlling the automatic choke gradually permitsthe choke valve to open and the fast idle cam to move to a position atwhich the throttle valve will close to slow idling position. Duringnormal operation of the engine, the choke valve remains completely openand the fast idle cam in the position to permit the throttle valve toclose to slow idle position.

For a time after a warm engine has ceased operation,

the thermostat does not exert any force in the direction to close thechoke valve or to move the fast idle cam to the cold starting position,but as the engine gradually becomes cold, the thermostat begins to applyforce to close the choke valve, gradually increasing said force as theengine becomes cooler. The force tending to close the choke valve alsourges the cam to fast idle position. The throttle valve stop meansabutting against the cam, however, prevents movement thereof against theforce'of the thermostat so that the fast idle cam is held in a positionassumed during normal warm engine operation and the choke valve, beingconnected tosaid cam is prevented from completely closing, until saidstop means is Withdrawn from said cam by the opening movement of thethrottle valve. It is thus seen that before the engine can normally bestarted, it is essential to depress the accelerating pedal or otherwiseopen the throttle valve to release the fast idle cam and permit thechoke valve to close. An arrangement has previously been proposedwherein depression of the starter pedal will crack the throttle valve,but no means has been provided incombination therewith for closing orreleasing the choke valveor for setting the fast idle cam for coldstarting.

Some later model motor vehicles are provided with a cooperating clutchcontrol and starting mechanism wherein the starting circuit is closedwhen the clutch pedal is depressed to its most downward limit. By thisarrangement, the operator is assured that the vehicle is declutchedbefore the starting circuitis closed, though it is necessary for theoperator to actuate the accelerating pedal to crack the throttle valveand to release the fast idle cam and choke valve.

It can be seen that with vehicles in use at the present time, it isnecessary for the operator, in at least two separate and distinctoperations, to declutch the vehicle, to crack the throttle valve, torelease the fast idle cam and choke valve and to close the startercircuit, a further step being required if the vehicle is not equippedwith an automatic choke mechanism. It is one of the principal objects ofthe present invention to combine the foregoing steps into one singlestarting operation involving only one mechanical movement by theoperator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple andhighly reliable mechanism for declutching the vehicle, cracking thethrottle valve, releasing the fast idle cam and automatic choke andclosing the starter circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a control mechanism toperform the aforesaid operations, which may be readily adapted tostandard motor vehicles without the necessity of making any substantialmodifications in the original construction of said vehicles.

Additional objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings wherein a specific embodiment ofthe present invention is disclosed, together with a modificationthereof. The control mechanism forming the subject matter of the presentinvention is not limited to the embodiment and the modification thereofdisclosed herein nor to any particular type of carburetor or internalcombustion engine, but is under-- stood to be adaptable to any engine orvehicle in which are included a carburetor having an automatic choke, afast idle arrangement, clutch and starting circuit, said combinationbeing hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a schematic view of an internal combustion engine showingthe present control system mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of the present control system showinggenerally a carburetor, a starting switch, a clutch pedal and anaccelerating pedal of a motor vehicle, the relative size of thecarburetor and switch to the clutch and accelerating pedals being largerin the drawing than in standard automotive construction, to show clearlythe various parts of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a view of the clutch pedal showing it .in the raisedposition.

The present control system includes in a motor vehicle an automaticchoke, a fast idle arrangement controlled by said choke, a startingswitch and a clutch control mechanism in combination with a linkage foractuating the throttle valve, declutching the engine, releasing thechoke and fast idle cam and closing the starting switch, all .in asingle operation requiring only one simple mechanical movement by theoperator. The present invention may be readily understood by referringto the draw ings in which Figure 1 illustrates an assembly of theseveral elements comprising the present .invention mounted on aconventional internal combustion engine, wherein numeral 10 designates aclutch pedal shown in its depressed position, 11 an accelerating pedal,12 a starting switch, 13 a starting motor, 14 a battery and 15 acarburetor which for the purpose of illustrating the present inventionmay be considered conventional, said carburetor being mounted on anintake manifold 16 and connected to said clutch and accelerating pedalsby a linkage 18. Referring to Figure 2, the carburetor which is of thedowndraft double barrel type includes an air horn 26 having mountedthereon an automatic choke 22 consisting of a housing 24, a coiledbimetallic heat responsive element 26 mounted on pin 28, an unbalancedchoke valve 36 mounted on shaft 32 and a lever 34 secured to one end ofshaft 32, said lever being adapted to be engaged and actuated by thebimetallic element 26. The housing 24 is, connected by a conduit 36 to astove 37 on the exhaust manifold 33 or to some other part representativeof engine temperature, and by a port 39 and another conduit 49 to theinduction passage on the engine sideof the throttle valve. In a cylinder41 on one side of said housing, a piston 42 is connected to lever 34 byrod 43 and is adapted to be actuated by suction in conduit 40 topartially open choke valve 30 against the opposing force of element 26when the engine begins to operate under its own power. The suctionactuating piston 42 may be modified to some value less than that in theintake manifold by including a bleed into cylinder. 41 such as duct 44through piston 42. In this arrangement, air indicative of enginetemperature is drawn through conduit 36 and housing 24 around element 26through port 39 and also through duct 44 of piston 42 by the enginesuction transmitted through conduit 40. Thus, if the engine iscold atstarting, the bimetallic element as shown in the drawings is so expandedthat it urges lever 34 to the left and choke valve to its closedposition. As the air drawn through the housing 24 becomes warmer,bimetallic element 26 coils upon itself, thereby gradually lessening theforce urging the choke valve to its closed position until the free endof said element is completely withdrawn from lever 34. Since choke valve39 is of the unbalanced type, it tends to open of its own accord andalso in response to air flow through the induction passage of thecarburetor when the throttle valve posterior thereto has been opened.

The main carburetor body 45, on which air born is mounted and secured bymachine screws 46, contains an induction passage with a main and a boostventuri and a discharge nozzle disposed therein. The main body alsocontains a conventional accelerating pump in housing 47, a powerenrichment means (not shown) and a fuel bowl or float chamber 48 adaptedto receive fuel from inlet 49, said main body being mounted on throttlebody 50 and secured thereto by machine screws 52. The throttle body ismounted on an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine andsecured thereto by bolts inserted in holes 54 of external flange 56 atthe lower edge of said throttle body.

A throttle valve 58 is mounted on shaft 60 and actuated by a throttlevalve lever 62 on the end of said shaft, said lever being connected tothe accelerating pedal 11 by rod 64, bell crank 66 and rod 68. Theclosing of the throttle valve is limited when the engine is cold byscrew 70 on lever 62 abutting against the periphery of a fast idle cam72 mounted on stud 73, said periphery being so arranged in stepwiseprofile that the throttle can be held at various partly closed positionswhile the engine is running at subnormal temperatures. Cam 72is.connecte d with the automatic choke by rod 74 and lever 76, the lowerend of said rod being inserted in a crescent shaped slot 78 of cam 72and yieldably held in the central portion of said slot during normaloperation of the engine by spring 80. The accelerating pump is actuatedby the opening movement of the throttle valve lever through rod 82,lever 84 pivoted on screw 86 and rod 88; which connects lever 84 withthe piston of the accelerating pump.

The starting switch 12 shown in Figure 2'is mounted on the side ofcarburetor 15 and is actuated by arm 90 of throttle valve lever 62. Theswitch which is enclosed in housing 92 is provided with two fixedelectrical contacts 94 and 96 and a sliding contact 98 mountedon areciprocable member 160 for completing the circuit between the fixedcontacts, said fixed contacts being con- 4 nected by lead wires to motor13 and battery 14. Memher 100 is urged toward closed circuit position byspring 102 mounted in the upper end of housing 92 and is held in opencircuit position by arm when the throttle valve is closed. A piston 104which is actuated by intake manifold suction transmitted throughconduits 40 and 108 to the left end of cylinder 106 is provided to lockmember in open position by sliding to the left through slot 110 inmember 100 when said member is lifted by arm 90 after the engine beginsto operate on .its own power. After the engine stops, the piston 104 isreturned by spring 112 to the position shown in Figure 2 when thethrottle valve is closed.

While any suitable type of starting switch and circuit may be used, astarting circuit is preferred which will: automatically open when theengine begins to run of its ownpower and remain open until the enginestops. The carburetor starting switch disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 552,609 filed September 4, 1944, now Patent No.2,492,340, is similar to the one shown in Figure 2 and is particularlysuitable for the present invention. A solenoid switch is preferably usedin conjunction With the carburetor starting switch.

The linkage 18 consists of a bell crank 66 pivoted on apin 114, rod 64connecting one arm of said bell crank with the throttle valve lever 62,and another rod 68 connecting the other arm of said bell crank with theaccelerating pedal 11, one end of said bell crank being adapted to beengaged by a lug 116 on clutch pedal 10. The end of the bell crankengaged by lug 116 is provided with a screw 118 so that the time foractuating the linkage'in the starting operation can be accuratelypredetermined. After the adjustment has been made, said screw is held inthe desired position by lock nut 120.

Operation When an internal combustion engine equipped with the presentcontrol mechanism has been stopped after operating under normal enginetemperatures, the throttle valve closes and the adjustable screw 70engages the periphery of cam 72 on one of its lower steps, the chokevalve remaining wide open completely independent of the bimetallicelement 26. As the bimetallic element cools, it eventually engages lever34 and gradually urges choke valve 30 toward its closed position. Theclosing movement of the choke valve, however, is resisted by cam 72being held in a fixed position by stop screw 70 engaging one of' thelower steps of the cam periphery, though partial closure of said chokevalve may be permitted by the yieldable connection between said cam androd 74 provided by spring 80. and the throttle valve closed, the fastidle cam is in slow idle position, the choke valve is Wide open or onlypartly closed and the starting switch is held open by arm 90 liftingmember 100.

In starting the cold engine, the operator depresses clutch pedal 10until lug 116 engages screw 118 of lever. 66 and, through said lever,rod 64 and throttle'valve lever 62, the operator cracks or slightlyopens the throttle valve and withdraws stop screw 70 from the lowersteps of the periphery of cam 72, thus permitting said cam to movetofast idle position under the force of the thermostat urging lever 76and rod 74 upwardly and choke valve 30 to its closed position. Almostsimultaneously with withdrawal of screw 70 from cam 72, contact198 ofswitch 12 engages contacts 94 and 96, thus closing the starting circuitand cranking the engine.

When the engine begins to operate under its own power before thethrottle has been opened by the accelerating pedal, suctionin theinduction passage posterior to the throttle'valve draws piston 42 to theleft, as shown in Eigure 2, thus urging choke'va'lve 30to a partly openposition so that the engine may receive the proper fuelto-air mixturefor fast idling, the throttle valve being held-in fast idl'e-position-bythehigher steps on the-pe- Thus, while the engine is cold' riphery ofcam 72. The suction in the induction passage also draws the air fromstove 37 around the exhaust manifold through conduit 36, housing 24,port 39 and conduit 40. A portion of the air entering housing 24 alsopasses through calibrated hole 44 of piston 42 and thence into conduit40, the purpose of said hole being primarily for controlling the amountof suction exerted on piston 42. The air from stove 37 passing throughhousing 24 gradually heats thermostat 26, causing it to lessen its forceurging the choke valve to the closed position until said thermostatcompletely withdraws from lever 34. Choke valve 30 is then permitted toopen wide of its own accord or under the influence of air flow in theinduction passage. The opening movement of the choke valve moves fastidle cam 72 to its slow idle position.

If the throttle valve is opened while the engine is operating atsubnormal temperatures, the choke valve is urged in the openingdirection in opposition to the closing force of thermostat 26 by the airflow in the induction passage, and the cam is simultaneously urged toits slow idle position by the linkage between said cam and choke valve.When the throttle valve is again closed, stop screw 70 contacts theperiphery of said cam before the thermostat has had sufficient time toreturn the choke valve to closed or partially closed position and thecam to its fast idle position. The cam is thus held in its slow idleposition by screw 70 contacting the periphery of said cam. The chokevalve, however, is permitted to readjust itself to approximately theproper position for the particular engine temperature by the yieldableconnection between cam 72 and rod 74 as provided by slot 78 and spring80. This slot and spring also permit the choke valve to open even thoughthe cam is continually held in fast idle position by screw 70 during thetime the engine is warming up to normal operating temperatures.

As long as the clutch pedal is held in its depressed position onstarting, contacts 94, 96 and 98 remain closed, but as the throttlevalve is returned to idling position after the engine starts, arm 90lifts member 100 to the position at which piston 104 is permitted tomove to the left through slot 110 under the influence of engine suctiontransmitted to cylinder 106 through conduits 40 and 108, thus lockingsaid contacts in open position. Piston 104 remains in locking positionso long as the engine is operating under its own power and is onlyreturned to the unlocking position, shown in Figure 2, when the throttlevalve is closed after the engine has stopped running.

From the foregoing description of the operation of the presentinvention, it can be seen that depression of the clutch pedal to itslowermost position executes every mechanical manipulation required tostart the engine and even to provide the necessary conditions thereafterfor normal engine operation. during the warming-up period.

It is contemplated that other arrangements of elements comprising thepresent invention than those shown in the accompanying drawings may beprovided Without departing from the scope of the present invention; forexample, the mechanism for cracking the throttle valve may be actuatedby a linkage in series with the starting switch or by a solenoidcontrolled by the starting circuit; further, a means may be included forrendering the throttle cracking means inoperative when the clutch pedalis depressed after the engine begins to operate under its own power.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine propelled vehicle having a clutch, aclutch pedal, a starting circuit and a carburetor including a throttlevalve, a choke and a thermostat for controlling said choke in accordancewith engine temperature: a control mechanism comprising a fast idleearn; a linkage connecting said cam and thermostat for controlling theposition of said cam in accordance with engine temperature; a throttlevalve lever having a stop thereon for engaging said cam, said stop incooperation with said cam being adapted to hold said choke in apartially opened position in opposition to the closingforce of saidthermostat; a starting switch in said circuit; a member operated withsaid throttle valve for preventing said switch from closing when thethrottle valve is closed and a linkage including a one-way connectionadapted to be actuated by said clutch pedal to open said throttle valve,release said fast idle cam and choke and move said member to permit saidswitch to close.

2. In an internal combustion engine propelled vehicle having a clutch, astarting circuit, a switch for said cir cuit and a carburetor includinga choke valve, a throttle valve and a fast idle cam: a control mechanismcomprising a linkage connecting said choke valve with said cam forintercontrolling said cam and valve; a throttle valve lever having astop thereon for engaging said cam; a clutch pedal; a linkage betweensaid clutch pedal and said throttle valve lever; a member operated withsaid throttle valve for holding said switch open when the throttle valveis closed and a linkage between said clutch pedal and said startingswitch, whereby the operations for declutching the vehicle, opening saidthrottle valve, releasing said fast idle cam and choke, and closing thestarting switch are completed in a single movement by the operator.

3. In an internal combustion engine propelled vehicle having a clutch, astarting circuit, a switch for said circuit and a carburetor including achoke valve, a throttle valve and a fast idle cam: a control mechanismcomprising a linkage connecting said choke valve with said cam forinterconnecting said cam and valve; a throttle valve lever having a stopthereon for engaging said earn; a clutch pedal; a linkage between saidclutch pedal and said throttle valve lever; and a linkage between saidthrottle valve and said starting switch for preventing said switch fromclosing when the throttle valve is closed; whereby the operations fordeclutching the vehicle, opening said throttle valve, releasing saidfast idle cam and choke, and closing the starting switch may becompleted in a single movement by the operator.

4. For use on an internal combustion engine propelled vehicle having aclutch, a clutch pedal, a carburetor, an accelerating pedal, and astarting circuit: a choke; a throttle valve; a fast idle cam; a linkageconnecting said choke and said cam; a throttle lever having a stopthereon for engaging said cam, said stop in cooperation with said earnbeing adapted to hold said choke in a partially opened position; aswitch for said circuit mounted adjacent said throttle valve; a memberfor preventing said switch from closing when the throttle valve isclosed; a linkage adapted to connect said accelerating pedal and saidthrottle lever; and a means including a one-way connection adapted to beactuated by said clutch pedal for actuating said throttle valve,releasing said choke and moving said member to permit said switch toclose.

5. For use on an internal combustion engine propelled vehicle having aclutch, a clutch pedal, a carburetor, and a starting circuit: a choke; athrottle valve; a fast idle cam; a linkage connecting said choke andsaid cam; a throttle lever having a stop thereon for engaging said cam,said stop in cooperation with said cam being adapted to hold said chokein a partially opened position; a switch for said circuit mountedadjacent said throttle valve; a lever operatively connecting saidthrottle valve and said switch for preventing said switch from closingwhen the throttle valve is closed; and a linkage including a one-wayconnection adapted to be operated by said clutch pedal to open saidthrottle valve, release said choke and move said last mentioned lever topermit said switch to close.

6. For use on an internal combustion engine propelled vehicle having aclutch, a clutch pedal and a starting circuit: a carburetor having achoke and a throttle valve; a switch for said circuit having a yieldablemeans for urging the switch to its closed position; and a throttle leverhaving a member for preventing said switch from closing when thethrottle valve is closed; a linkage and 7 meansmesponsive to movement ofthe clutch pedal for actuating said linkage to operate said lever toopen said thmttle valve and move said member to permit said yieldablemeans to close said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent ITED sT Es PATENTS SchwarzeJune 3, 1930 Hartdern Oct. 2, 71934 Coffey Dec. 6, 1938' Fan Jan. 23,1940 ,Ihbmpson Nov. 5, 1946

